Electrical outlet strip assembly



Oct. 30, 1962 D. MCCORMICK BOYD 3,061,810

ELECTRICAL OUTLET STRIP ASSEMBLY Filed July 20, 1960 girl may

"I'll INVENTOR. Dag/v M- Bovo ATTOQHEV United htates EPatent 3,061,810ELECTRICAL OUTLET STRE ASSEMBLY Dean McCormick Boyd, 6399 Wilshire Blvd.W., Los Angeles, Calif. Filed July 20, 1960, Ser. No. 44,172 17 Claims.(Cl. 339-22) This invention relates to improved electrical outlet stripsof a type adapted to extend continuously along a wall of a room, andinto which a male connector plug may be attached at any of numerousdiiferent locations to allow for complete flexibility in the positioningof lamps and other electrically energized units in the room. The presentapplication is a continuation in part of my co-pending applicationSerial No. 827,528 filed July 16, 1959 on Electrical Outlet Strip WithShielded Blade Couplings, now abandoned.

It has long been realized in the electrical industry that an extendedmultiple position electrical outlet of the above discussed general typewould have many advantages in use over the conventional single or doubleoutlet receptacle. Many attempts have been made to design an extendedcontinuous type outlet for this purpose, but none has provensufficiently practical for use on a wide scale basis. For example, manyof the units heretofore devised have been inherently too complex andexpensive for commercial production and sale. Others have been incapableof assuring sufilciently eifective and reliable electrical contactbetween the elongated outlet and the connector plugs attached thereto. Alarge number of the extended outlets of this general type have beenconstructed in a manner such that they have been rather ditficult toassemble or to mount in position on a wall. Further, in most previouslydeveloped elongated type outlets, there has been no really effective wayof rapidly connecting the electrical contacts in the outlet to a powersource, and similarly there has been no completely practical way ofconnecting one length of the outlet, on a first wall of a room, to anext successive length extending along another wall of the room.Finally, many of the formerly proposed units have been so designed thattheir electrical contacts are not sufficiently protected againstaccidental engagement by a conductive object, or against contact withthe fingers of a child, or a screw driver or other conductive elementhandled by a child.

The general object of the present invention is to pro vide an elon atedcontinuous outlet strip which is designed in a manner overcoming theabove discussed disadvantages of prior similar units. A device embodyingthe invention is extremely simple and inexpensive in construction, andyet at the same time is reliable in operation, easy to assemble andinstall, and the contacts are sufliciently protected against accidentalengagement to render the device at least as safe in use as theconventional single or double outlet.

Some of these advantages are attained by a unique type of contact,having a cross section such as to always assure completely effectiveelectrical engagement with the prongs of a mating connector plug, evenafter use of the outlet for an extended period of time. The simplicityof assembly and mounting of the unit is attained in large part by anovel snap-in arrangement, in which the face plate of the device snapsinto position within a channel element, and carries at its rear side aconductor holding part. Connection of the elongated outlet strip to apower source, or to a next successive strip on an adjacent wall, isattained by employment of a new type of coupling block or plug adaptedfor connection into the end of the outlet strip.

The above and other features and objects of the present invention willbe better understood from the following detailed description of thetypical embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of an electrical outlet strip constructedin accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross sectional view through the outlet strip ofFIG. 1, and taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross section similar to FIG. 2, but taken in theplane of two of the plug receiving openings, and shown with a matingelectrical plug connected to the strip;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a coupling block adapted to be connectedinto the outlet strip of FIG. 1, with the block being shown in partiallydisassembled condition, and partially broken away to reveal the internalconstruction of the unit;

FIG. 5 is a transverse section through the electrical outlet strip ofFIG. 1, taken through the location of a coupling block such as thatshown in FIG. 4 (taken on line 55 of FIG. 1), but omitting theelectrical contacts of the outlet strip in order to clarify the end viewconfiguration of the coupling block; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view representing the manner in whichthe end of one of the contacts of the outlet strip fits into one of thepairs of contacts of the coupling block.

In FIGVI the electrical outlet strip is indicated generally by the arrow10, and is seen to be housed in a channel housing 11 covered at thefront by a face plate 12. Preferably, the channel housing 11 is a rolledsheet metal channel, of aluminum or steel or the like, and face plate 12is constructed of an electrically insulative resinous plastic materialwhich is easily extruded with a desired cross sectional shape. Forexample, a suitable essentially stiff vinyl resin may be employed forthe purpose.

The outer surface of face plate 12 is horizontally grooved at 13 and 14,and provided with electrical plug openings 15, extending rearwardly fromthe backs of grooves 13 and 14, at intervals spaced longitudinally alongthe outlet strip 11 A conventional electrical plug 16 is shown insertedin one pair of the openings 15.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the electrical outlet strip 10 in crosssection, and reveal the transverse cross section of the channel housing11 and face plate 12. FIG. 3 is a section through the location of plugopenings 15, and shows the disposition of plug 16, and the internallocation of its prongs 17 and 18. As seen in FIG. 2, the back Wall 19 ofchannel 11 contains screw holes 20 (only one shown), for permittingstrip 10 to be attached to an adjacent wall surface by screws 21.

Face plate 12 can be resiliently snapped into position in channel 11,and is held in that position by interengagement of mating shoulders 22and 23 on channel 11 with grooves 24 and 25 of the face plate.

In a generic sense, the shoulders and grooves may be located either onthe channel 11 and face plate 12, respectively, as illustrated, or viceversa. However, it is preferred to roll the channel 11 with internallongitudinal shoulders formed just inwardly of each side of the channelopening, by inward displacement of the side wall metal channel 11, asillustrated at 22 and 23, while the grooves 24 and 25 are desirablyrecessed into the edges of face plate 12. This avoids any externalribbing which might interfere with easy recessing of the electricaloutlet strip 10. The material of which channel 11 is formed issufiiciently deformable and resilient to allow the two side walls 111 tospread slightly apart as face plate 12 is slipped into position withinthe channel. Such spreading is efiected by virtue of the illustratedrounded camming configuration of beads or shoulders 22 and 23, and thecamming angularity of the engaging surfaces 112 of face plate 12. Afterthe face plate has been in serted to the illustrated flush positionwithin channel 11, the resilience of side walls 111 of the channelcauses the shoulders 22 and 23 to resiliently return inwardly toward theface plate, and into the mating grooves 24 and 25, in a relationthereafter retaining the face plate and its carried parts in theirillustratedrposition within the channel.

Inside the housing formed by channel 11 and face plate 12, there arepositioned a pair of electrical contact strips 26 and 27 containedwithin an electrically insulative receptacle or inner housing 23. Thecontact strips 26 and 27, and inner housing, may all be coextensivelongitudinally with face plate 12, and all of these parts 12, 26, 27,and 28 may be of uniform cross section along their entire length, exceptinsofar as the cross section of the face plate is locally interrupted byplug receiving apertures 15. Inner housing 28 is desirably of theillustrated essentially W-shaped cross section, having two parallelopposite side walls 128, a transverse rear wall 129 extendingessentially parallel to face plate 12, and a central dividing Wall orpartition 29. Partition 29 divides the element 28 longitudinally alongits center plane, into two elongated channels or recesses 31] and 31which separately accommodate the contact strips 26 and 27 respectively.The double channel inner housing 23 is formed of a suitable essentiallyrigid insulative material, such as the same vinyl resin or otherresinous plastic material employed in making face plate 12. The innersurface of face plate 12 is grooved longitudinally to receive andsupport inner housing 28, a central groove 32 receiving the edge ofcenter dividing wall 29, and oblique side grooves 33 and 34 beingprovided to receive angular edge flanges 35 and 36 formed along theedges of the side Walls 128 of housing 28.

Contact strips 26 and 27 are rolled to an arcuate cross .section, alongtheir major contact portions, to provide convex contact surfaces forengagement by the electrical plug prongs 17 and 18. This convexconfiguration results in an extremely effective sliding contact betweenelements 26 and 27 and the prongs 17 and 18, as will be apparent from areview of FIG. 3.

Strips 26 and 27 are designed to flex resiliently from the positionindicated in FIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 3, at the point of insertionof an electrical plug 16 into the outlet. This deflection or flexing ofcontact strips 26 and 27 takes place about longitudinal pivot shoulders26a and 27a formed near the face plate edges of strips 26 and 27respectively, and seated on the adjacent wall surfaces of centralpartition 29 of the insulative inner housing 28. The face plate edges26b and 27b of contacts 26 and 27 are folded back upon themselves toprovide stiff edges of double thickness, and are anchored by insertioninto longitudinal retaining grooves 39 and 40 on the inner surface offace plate 12.

'Deflectable edges 26c and 270 of contact strips 26 and 27 are rolledover to provide smoothly sliding contact on the bottom surface of thedouble channel insulative inner housing 28, when the insertion of anelectric plug 16 causes deflection of the adjacent portions of thecontact strips 26 and 27 toward central partition 29. It will beapparent that strips 26 and 27 must be formed of resilient andelectrically conductive material, such as spring brass or the like, withthe resilience of the contacts tending to return them outwardly to thenormal FIG. 2 positions.

In order to connect the contacts 26 and 27 within outlet strip to apower source, I provide at one end of the outlet strip a coupling block50 (see FIG. 1), which is illustrated in perspective in FIG. 4, and isshown positioned within channel 11 in FIG. 5. The forward side of thechannel at the location of coupling plug 50 may be closed by a shortface plate 112, having the cross sectional configuration of face plate12 but not containing any of the plug receiving apertures 15.

It will be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5 that the coupling block includes amolded body, typically formed of an electrically insulative resinousplastic material, the body consisting of a rectangular portion 51 and apair of locating and shielding prongs 52 and 53. The prongs orprojections 52 and 53 may be molded integrally with the rectangularportion 51 of the coupling block, and project longitudinally therefromin a common direction represented by the axis 151 in FIG. 4. When plug50 is connected into the outlet strip, the axis 151 and prongs 52 and 53extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the various parts 11, 12,26, 27, and 28 of the outlet assembly. As seen in FIG. 5, which is aview looking toward the locating prongs 52 and 53, and along axis 151, apair of electrical contact means 54 and 55 are embedded in the prongs 52and 53 respectively. Exposed portions of the electrical contact means 54and 55 are covered by electrically insulative shields or covers 56 and57, which are partially hollowed out shells closely received in grooves58 and 59 provided in the outer face plate engaging surface of thecoupling block rectangular portion 50. Shields 56 and 57 are solventwelded into the grooves 58 and 59, that is, they are coated with asolvent which slightly softens them just prior to insertion duringmanufacture so that they are bonded or Welded tightly to and become anintegral part of block 50. Projections 56 and 57 may be somewhat shorterthan, and smaller in transverse cross section than, the two mainprojections 52 and 53. Also, all four of these projections 52, 53, 56,and 57 may have tapered or rounded ends 152, to facilitate theirinsertion axially into the end of outlet unit 10. As will be explainedat a later point, the shields or projections 56 and 57 are supportedwith sufficient clearance between them and their corresponding largerprojections 52 and 53 respectively to permit the sliding entry of theends of contact strips 26 and 27 between the shields for electricalengagement with contact means 54 and 55.

In FIG. 4, the shield 57 is illustrated as removed from its activeposition in the coupling block assembly, and the associated locating andshielding prong 53 is fragmentarily broken away to reveal its innerconstruction and the manner of embedding electrical contact means 55therein. This electrical contact means 55 includes a pair of resilientmetal contact blades, consisting of an outer resiliently defiectableblade 60, and an inner blade 61 embedded in the plastic material oflocating prong 63. The two blades or contacts are riveted together byrivet 62 at one end, and are normally held tightly together by theresilience of outer blade 6%. At their ends which are spaced outwardlyfrom main block 51 of the coupling plug, contacts 61} and 61 aredeformed to flare slightly apart, as indicated at 63, for easy receptionof the end of one of the contact strips 26 or 27. At a location betweenthe flared ends 63 and rivet 62, and preferably near the rivet, contact69 has a short bridge portion (see FIGS. 4 and 6), which is locallybowed or curved outwardly away from the associated second contact 61, toprovide an open space at that point between the two contacts. Therelative proportioning of the various parts of the apparatus is suchthat, when coupling plug 50 is fully inserted into its position ofconnection to outlet strip 16, with portion 50 of the coupling blockdesirably in abutting engagement with the end of inner housing 23, theend edge 126 of contact strip 26 is received directly Within the spacesprovided between the associated pair of contacts 60 and 61 at thelocation 169. The same is of course true of the corresponding end edgeof contact 27. These end edges of the contact strips are cut oil in aplane extending transversely of axis 151 of FIG. 4, that is, the axis ofinsertion of the plug into the contact strip, and the longitudinal axisof the outlet strip itself. In cutting off contact strips 26 and 27, itis extremely difiicult to prevent the formation of burrs at edges 126,and the purpose of the spacing of elements 61') and 61 at s,061,s1o

5 160 is to allow for reception of any such burrs between the twocontact strips 60 and 61 without causing a spreading of elements 60 and61 by virtue of the reception of the increased thickness burr areastherebetween.

The inner embedded blade 61 of each pair of contacts 66 and 61 is formedwith a terminal strip 64 extending from one of its sides (see FIG. 5),and crimp rolled at an end 65 to electrically connect with the exposedend portion 66 of an associated wire 67 which extends through portionStl of the coupling plug and pro ects from its opposite side. A similarconstruction connects the second pair of contacts 60 and 61 with asecond insulated wire 63. The two electrical leads 67 and 68 areconnected to a suitable source of power through a power plug opening 69(see FIG. 1), or may be connected to a second coupling block similar inall respects to block 50 in order to provide coupling between successivesections of outlet strip 10, whether in a straight line, or at a cornerwithin a corner fitting housing 70 as seen in FIG. 1. The ends of theelectrical outlet strip may be covered by means of an end cover such asthat shown at 71, or a power outlet housing 72.

In mounting the illustrated outlet strip assembly to a wall, the firststep is to connect suitable lengths of the channel element 11 to theWall surface by screws 21, with corner channels and end fittings beingprovided wherever necessary to properly fit the particular room in whichthe apparatus is being mounted. The assembly of co-extensive parts 12,26, 27, and 28, is preassembled to the condition illustrated in thefigures, and is then snapped into position within channel 11 in themanner previously discussed. At the power inlet end of one of the outletstrips, coupling plug 56 is inserted axially into that strip, withshielding prongs 52, 53, 56, and 57, and contacts 60 and 61, moving intolongitudinally overlapping or interfitting relation with respect to theoutlet strip assembly. That is, projections 52 and 56 extend into thespaces 30 and 31 of FIG. 2, while projections 56 and 57 are receivedwithin the spaces provided at the opposite sides of contacts 26 and 27.The edge portions of contact strips 26 and 27 slide into positionsbetween the mating contacts 60 and 61 to provide an effective electricalengagement therewith. Leads 67 and '63 are connected to power, anddouble coupling plugs are provided between successive lengths of theoutlet strip, to conduct power from one strip to the other. A user maythen insert outlet plug 16 into the strip at the locations of any of thepairs of apertures 15, so that prongs 17 and 18 of the plugs engagecontacts 26 and 27 to receive power therefrom.

The contact strips 26 and 27, by reason of their unique configuration,provide exceptionally positive sliding contact with the prongs, atlocations which are removed as far as possible from the apertures 15, tothereby increase the overall safety of die unit. Contact strips 26 and27 are rigidly held in place by the grooves 39 and 46, while pivoting atthe pivot shoulders 26a and 27a.

Although the embodiment illustrated is one preferred form of theinvention, and includes many refinements of the inventive concepts, itwill be obvious to those skilled in the art that many variations anddepartures from it may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention. It is therefore my intention that the foregoing descriptionand its associated illustration not be taken as limiting the scope ofthe invention, but merely as illustrative of one form falling withinthat scope .as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination comprising an elongated electrical outlet receptacle,and a coupling block to be connected to one end of said receptacle, saidreceptacle including an I pling block including a body, a plurality ofprojections extending outwardly from said body in essentially a commondirection and adapted to be inserted axially into an end of saidelongated outlet receptacle and into longitudinally overlapping relationwith said contacts, and second electrical contacts carried by said bodyat locations to move into longitudinally overlapping electricallycontacting relation with respect to said first contacts, saidprojections being formed of electrically insulative material andextending along different sides of said second contacts in closeproximity thereto to shield said second contacts against electricalengagement with other conductive objects.

2. The combination as recited in claim 1 in which there are two of saidsecond contacts associated with each of said first contacts adapted toextend along and engage opposite sides of the associated first contact.

3. The combination as recited in claim 1 in which there are two of saidprojections associated with each of said first contacts adapted toextend along opposite sides of the associated first contact.

4. The combination as recited in claim 1, in which there are two pairsof said second contacts adapted to grip said two first contactsrespectively, and there being two of said insulative projectionsassociated with and received at opposite sides of each pair of saidsecond contacts.

5. For use with an elongated electrical outlet receptacle containing apair of elongated first contacts and into which a male connector may beconnected to engage said contacts at any of different locations spacedalong the receptacle; a coupling block to be connected into an end ofsaid receptacle, said block including a body, a plurality of projectionsextending outwardly from said body in essentially a common direction andadapted to be inserted axially into an end of said elongated outletreceptacle and into longitudinally overlapping relation with saidcontacts, and second electrical contacts carried by said body atlocations to move into longitudinally overlapping electricallycontacting relation with respect to said first contacts, saidprojections being formed of electrically insulative material andextending along different sides of said second contacts in closeproximity thereto to shield said second contacts against electricalengagement with other conductive objects.

6. A coupling block as recited in claim 5 in which there are two of saidsecond contacts associated with each of said first contacts adapted toextend along and engage opposite sides of the associated first contact.

7. The combination as recited in claim 5 in which there are two of saidprojections associated with each of said first contacts adapted toextend along opposite sides of the associated first contact.

8. A continuous electrical outlet receptacle including an elongatedhollow housing formed of electrically insulative material and having afront wall containing apertures through which a mating plug isconnectible at any of a series of different locations, said housinghaving a central partition dividing two elongated chambers in thehousing back of said front wall, and a pair of contact stripsconstructed of resilient electrically conductive material in said twochambers respectively of the housing, each of said contact strips havinga retaining edge received in a longitudinal retaining groove in theinner surface of said front wall, near said central partition, eachcontact strip having a longitudinal pivot shoulder formed near saidretaining edge and bearing against said central partition, and eachcontact strip having a contact portion of curved cross sectionpresenting a convexly curved surface facing generally away from saidcentral partition and electrically engageable by said mating plug at anyof diflerent locations spaced therealong, said contact portion beingdeflectible about said pivot shoulder and toward said central partitionby engagement with said plug.

9. A continuous electrical outlet as recited in claim 8 in which saidhousing has a back wall spaced rear-wardly of and generally parallel-tosaid front wall, each of said contact strips having a .rolled edgesliding on said back wall of the housing.

10. A continuous electrical outlet as recited in claim 8 including acoupling block having insulative proiections adapted to be slidablyinserted into said two chambers at opposite sides of said contactstrips, and electrical contact means between said projectionselectrically engageable with said contact strips.

11. The combination comprising an elongated electrical outletreceptacle, and a coupling block to be connected to one end of saidreceptacle, said receptacle including an elongated housing and twoelongated first contacts with in said housing, said housing having meansfor passing the prongs of a male connector into electrical engagementwith said two contacts at any of a series of locations spaced along thelength of said housing, said coupling block including two pairs ofsecond contacts engageable with said two first mentioned contactsrespectively, each of said first contacts having a portion slidablyreceivable between one pair of said second contacts and terminating atan end edge, and one of said second contacts of each pair having aportion locally spaced from the other contact of that pair and forming aspace between the pair of contacts within which said edge of theassociated one of said first contacts is received in the fully insertedposition of said coupling block.

12. A continuous electrical outlet strip which includes: a channelhousing; a face plate fitting into the opening of said channel housingand having electrical plug receptacle openings at spaced longitudinalintervals in its outer surface; an insulating receptacle supported atthe inner surface of said face plate, said insulating receptacle beingdivided into a double channel by means of a central separating wall; apair of contact strips constructed of resilient electrically conductivematerial in said insulating receptacle, one on each side of the centraldividingwall thereof; .a retaining edge on each of said contact strips,received in a longitudinal retaining groove in the inner surface of saidface plate, near said central dividing wall of said insulatingreceptacle; a longitudinal pivot shoulder formed in said strip near saidretaining edge and bearing against said central dividing wall; and acontact portion of said strip, having a curved cross-section convex onthe contact surface thereof, said contact portion being deflectibletoward said central dividing wall.

13. A continuous electrical outlet strip which includes: a channelhousing; a face plate fitting into the opening of said channel housing,and having electrical plug receptacle openings at spaced longitudinalintervals in its outer surface; an insulating receptacle supported onthe inner surface of said face plate by means of edge flanges receivedin longitudinal grooves in said inner surface, said insulatingreceptacle being divided into a double channel by means of a centralseparating wall with an 'edge received in a mating central groove in theinner surface of said face plate; a pair of contact strips constructedof resilient electrically conductive material in said insulatingreceptacle, one on each side of the central dividing wall there of; aretaining edge on each of said contact strips, folded to provide doublethickness, and received in a longitudinal retaining groove in the innersurface of said face plate, near said central dividing wall of saidinsulating receptacle; a longitudinal pivot shoulder formed in saidstrip near said retaining edge and bearing against said central dividingwall; and a contact portion of said strip, having a curved cross-sectionconvex on the contact surface thereof, and a rolled edge sliding on thebottom of said insulating receptacle channel, said contact portion beingdeflectable toward said central dividing wall.

14. A continuous electrical outlet strip which includes: a channelhousing; a face plate fitting into the opening of said channel housing,and having electrical plug receptacle openings at spaced longitudinalintervals in its outer surface; an insulating receptacle supported onthe inner surface of said face plate by means of edge flanges receivedin longitudinal grooves in said inner surface, said insulatingreceptacle being divided into a double channel by means of a centralseparating wall with an edge received in a mating central groove in theinner surface of said face plate; a pair of contact strips constructedof resilient electrically conductive material in said insulatingreceptacle, one on each side of the central dividing wall thereof; aretaining edge on each of said contact strips, folded to provide doublethickness, and received in a longitudinal retaining groove in the innersurface of said face plate, near said central dividing Wall of saidinsulating receptacle; a longitudinal pivot shoulder formed in saidstrip near said retaining edge and bearing against said central dividingwall; a contact portion of said strip, having a curved cross-sectionconvex on the contact surface thereof, and a rolled edge sliding on thebottom of said insulating receptacle channel, said contact portion beingdeflectible toward said central dividing wall; a coupling block ofinsulating material closely received between the bottom of said channelhousing and the inner surface of said face plate; a pair of locatingprongs projecting from one end of said coupling block and receivable inthe double channels of said insulating receptacle on the concave side ofsaid contact portions of said contact strips therein; electrical contactmeans mounted on the outer surface of each of said locating probes, andadapted to longitudinally slide into coupling relationship with saidcontact strips; insulating blade covers extending from said couplingblock over said contact means, and spaced from said locating probes topermit the reception of said contact strips therebetween to make contactwith said electrical contact means; and terminal wire means in saidcoupling block and communicating electrically with said electricalcontact means.

15. A continuous electrical outlet strip which includes: a channelhousing having internal longitudinal shoulders on each side of thechannel opening; a face plate fitting into the opening of said channelhousing, being held therein by edge grooves mating with said shoulders;walls in the outer surface of said face plate defining a pair oflongitudinal grooves recessed into said face plate and having a Widthclosely receiving an electric plug prong, and having electrical plugreceptacle openings at spaced longitudinal intervals in the bottoms ofsaid grooves; an insulating receptacle located at the inner surface ofsaid face plate, said insulating receptacle being divided into a doublechannel by means of a central separating Wall with an edge received in amating central groove in the inner surface of said face plate; edgeflanges on the outer edges of said receptacle channel received in matinggrooves in the inner surface of said face plate, said flanges andgrooves being disposed in intersecting planes to securely retain saidreceptacle on the inner surface of said face plate; a pair of contactstrips constructed of resilient electrically conductive material in saidinsulating receptacle, one on each side of the central dividing wallthereof; a retaining edge on each of said contact strips, folded toprovide double thickness, and received in a longitudinal retaininggroove in the inner surface of said face plate, near said centraldividing Wall of said insulating receptacle; a longitudinal pivotshoulder formed in said strip near said retaining edge and bearingagainst said central dividing wall; and a contact portion of said strip,having a curved cross-section convex on the contact surface thereof, anda rolled edge sliding on the bottom of said insulating receptaclechannel, said contact portion being deflectable toward said centraldividing Wall by the insertion of electrical plugs.

16. A continuous electrical outlet strip which includes: a channelhousing having internal longitudinal shoulders on each side of thechannel opening; a face plate fitting into the opening of said channelhousing, being held therein by edge grooves mating with said shoulders;walls in the outer surface of said face plate defining a pair oflongitudinal grooves recessed into said face plate and having a widthclosely receiving an electrical plug prong, and having electrical plugreceptat'e openings at spaced longitudinal intervals in the bottoms ofsaid grooves; an insulating receptacle located at the inner surface ofsaid face plate, said insulating receptacle being divided into a doublechannel by means of a central separating wall with an edge received in amating central groove in the inner surface of said face plate; edgeflanges on the outer edges of said receptacle channel received in matinggrooves in the inner surface of said face plate, said flanges andgrooves being disposed in intersecting planes to securely retain saidreceptacle on the inner surface of said face plate; a pair of contactstrips constructed of resilient electrically conductive material in saidinsulating receptacle, one on each side of the central dividing wallthereof; a retaining edge on each of said contact strips, folded toprovide double thickness, and received in a longitudinal retaininggroove in the inner surface of said face plate, near said centraldividing wall of said insulating receptacle; a longitudinal pivotshoulder formed in said strip near said retaining edge and bearingagainst said central dividing wall; a contact portion of said strip,having a curved cross-section convex on the contact surface thereof, anda rolled edge sliding on the bottom of said insulatin receptaclechannel, said contact portion being deflectable toward said centraldividing wall by the insertion of electrical plugs; a coupling block ofinsulating material closely received between the bottom of said channelhousing and the inner surface of said face plate; a pair of locatingprongs projecting from one end of said coupling block and receivable inthe double channels of said insulating receptacle on the concave side ofsaid contact portion of said contact strips therein; a pair ofelectrically conductive coupling blades mounted on the outer surface ofeach of said locating probes, and adapted to longitudinally slide intocoupling relationship with said contact strips; insulating blade coversextending from said coupling block over said coupling blades, and spacedfrom said locating probes to permit the reception of said contact stripsbetween said pairs of coupling blades; and terminal wire means embeddedin said coupling block and communicating electrically with said couplingblades.

17. A continuous electrical outlet strip which includes:

a channel housing having internal longitudinal shoulders on each side ofthe channel opening; a face plate fitting into the opening of saidchannel housing, being held therein by edge grooves mating with saidshoulders, and having electrical plug receptacle openings at spacedlongitudinal intervals in longitudinal grooves in its outer surface; aninsulating receptacle supported on the inner surface of said face plateby means of edge flanges received in longitudinal grooves in said innersurface, said insulating receptacle being divided into a double channelby means of a central separating wall with an edge received in a matingcentral groove in the inner surface of said face plate; a pair ofelectrically conductive contact strips in said insulating receptacle,one on each side of the central dividing wall thereof; a retaining edgeon each of said contact strips, folded to provided double thickness, andreceived in a longitudinal retaining groove in the inner surface of saidface plate, near said central dividing wall of said insulatingreceptacle; a longitudinal pivot shoulder formed in said strip near saidretaining edge and bearing against said central dividing wall; a contactpor tion of said strip, having a curved cross-section convex on thecontact surface thereof, and a rolled edge sliding on the bottom of saidinsulating receptacle channel, said contact portion being deflectabletoward said central dividing wall by the insertion of electrical plugs;a coupling block of insulating material closely received between thebottom of said channel housing and the inner surface of said face plate;a pair of locating prongs projecting from one end of said coupling blockand receivable in the double channels of said insulating receptacle; apair of electrically conductive coupling blades mounted on the outersurface of each of said locating probes, and adapted to longitudinallyslide into coupling relationship with said contact strips; terminal wiremeans communicating electrically with said coupling blades.

References Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,361,721 Van Deventer Oct. 31, 1944 2,478,006 Paden Aug. 2, 19492,743,423 Parks Apr. 24, 1956

